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Useful Tropical Plants

Korthalsia laciniosa

(Griff.) Mart.

Arecaceae

+ Synonyms

Calamosagus harinifolius Griff.

Calamosagus laciniosus Griff.

Calamosagus wallichiifolius Griff.

Korthalsia andamanensis Becc.

Korthalsia grandis Ridl.

Korthalsia scaphigera Kurz

Korthalsia teysmanni Miq.

Korthalsia wallichiifolia (Griff.) H.Wendl.

Common Name: Rotan Dahan

Korthalsia laciniosa
Botanical specimens of the plant
Photograph by: Annals of the Royal Botanic Garden, Calcutta. Vol. 12 Part 2 1916
Creative Commons License
Korthalsia laciniosa Korthalsia laciniosa Korthalsia laciniosa Korthalsia laciniosa Korthalsia laciniosa Korthalsia laciniosa Korthalsia laciniosa Korthalsia laciniosa

General Information

Rotan dahan is a climbing, evergreen shrub, producing a cluster of slender, woody stems around 20 - 30mm in diameter. A very vigorous species, the stems can be up to 80 metres long, clambering to the tops of trees in the forest, where they then branch and form aerial entanglements in the trees[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
,
1019
Title
A Field Guide of the Rattans of Cambodia
Publication
 
Author
Khou Eang Hourt
Publisher
World Wildlife Fund
Year
2008
ISBN
 
Description
A draft publication giving an excellent concise guide to the various rattan species growing in Cambodia.
].
The durable canes are highly sought after at village level, being used for making baskets, weaving etc[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
]. They are not generally considered attractive, however, and have little commercial future[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

Known Hazards

Many species in this genus have ants living on them in structures evolved by the plant known as ocreas. In some species the ants can be very aggressive[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
,
1017
Title
Annals of the Royal Botanic Garden, Calcutta. Vol. 12 Part 2
Publication
 
Author
Beccari O.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Bengal Secretariat Book Depot; Calcutta
Year
1916
ISBN
 
Description
A botanical journal, this volume has an extensice treatment of the Asiatic Palms in the subfamily Lepidocaryeae. Although dated, it remains a classic work.
].

Botanical References

1017
Title
Annals of the Royal Botanic Garden, Calcutta. Vol. 12 Part 2
Publication
 
Author
Beccari O.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Bengal Secretariat Book Depot; Calcutta
Year
1916
ISBN
 
Description
A botanical journal, this volume has an extensice treatment of the Asiatic Palms in the subfamily Lepidocaryeae. Although dated, it remains a classic work.

Range

Southeastern Asia - Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines.

Habitat

Primary forests and logged-over forests, at elevations up to 1,100 metres[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
]. Secondary forests and steep slopes at elevations up to 500 metres in the Philippines[
1018
Title
A Field Guide to Philippine Rattans
Publication
Asia Life Sciences Supplement 5
Author
Aida C. Baja-Lapis
Publisher
Rushing Water Publishers Ltd; Philippines
Year
2010
ISBN
0117-3375
Description
A very useful book with concise information on the various rattan species that grow in the Philippines
].

Properties

Other Uses Rating *  *  *
HabitEvergreen Climber
Height15.00 m
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details

Plants succeed in moist tropical climates where temperatures never fall below 10°c, the average annual rainfall is 1,500mm or more and the driest month has 25mm or more rain[
297
Title
Palms of the World
Publication
 
Author
Blombery. A. & Rodd. T.
Publisher
Angus and Robertson
Year
1992
ISBN
0-207-14848-1
Description
An excellent guide, well illustrated, with information on cultivation, uses, habitat etc of almost 200 species of Palms.
].

A monocarpic species, it can grow for many years without flowering, then flowers prolifically before setting seed and dying. The flowers are produced in panicles at the ends of the stems[
1017
Title
Annals of the Royal Botanic Garden, Calcutta. Vol. 12 Part 2
Publication
 
Author
Beccari O.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Bengal Secretariat Book Depot; Calcutta
Year
1916
ISBN
 
Description
A botanical journal, this volume has an extensice treatment of the Asiatic Palms in the subfamily Lepidocaryeae. Although dated, it remains a classic work.
].
Many species n this genus have a close association with ants that make their nests within swollen structures in the leaf sheaths known as ocreas. The ant-rattan relationship also seems to involve the presence of scale insects that are husbanded by the ants for honey dew on young rattan tissue. Ants occupying the ocreas of some species can be extremely aggressive[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

Edible Uses

The fruit of all members of this genus is more or less edible. It is sometimes eaten, but there is little flesh and it is therefore more likely to be used as a famine food when little else is available[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
,
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
]. The globose fruit is around 20mm in diameter[
1019
Title
A Field Guide of the Rattans of Cambodia
Publication
 
Author
Khou Eang Hourt
Publisher
World Wildlife Fund
Year
2008
ISBN
 
Description
A draft publication giving an excellent concise guide to the various rattan species growing in Cambodia.
].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The long, strong, flexible stems are very durable[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
]. The canes are durable, but not very flexible[
1019
Title
A Field Guide of the Rattans of Cambodia
Publication
 
Author
Khou Eang Hourt
Publisher
World Wildlife Fund
Year
2008
ISBN
 
Description
A draft publication giving an excellent concise guide to the various rattan species growing in Cambodia.
]. They are widely used by native peoples for making baskets, weaving into furniture etc, and as a strong and durable tying material[
297
Title
Palms of the World
Publication
 
Author
Blombery. A. & Rodd. T.
Publisher
Angus and Robertson
Year
1992
ISBN
0-207-14848-1
Description
An excellent guide, well illustrated, with information on cultivation, uses, habitat etc of almost 200 species of Palms.
,
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
]. Used as the frames of furniture[
1019
Title
A Field Guide of the Rattans of Cambodia
Publication
 
Author
Khou Eang Hourt
Publisher
World Wildlife Fund
Year
2008
ISBN
 
Description
A draft publication giving an excellent concise guide to the various rattan species growing in Cambodia.
]. The stems are up to 35mm in diameter[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
The inner epidermis of the leaf-sheaths is not easily separable from the cane surface and the nodes are frequently scarred on one side by the remains of axillary buds or branches[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
]. These factors detract from the overall marketability of the canes, which are otherwise very durable and not unattractive[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

Propagation

Seed - pre-soak 24 hours in warm water and sow in containers[
297
Title
Palms of the World
Publication
 
Author
Blombery. A. & Rodd. T.
Publisher
Angus and Robertson
Year
1992
ISBN
0-207-14848-1
Description
An excellent guide, well illustrated, with information on cultivation, uses, habitat etc of almost 200 species of Palms.
]. The seed needs to be fresh for satisfactory germination[
297
Title
Palms of the World
Publication
 
Author
Blombery. A. & Rodd. T.
Publisher
Angus and Robertson
Year
1992
ISBN
0-207-14848-1
Description
An excellent guide, well illustrated, with information on cultivation, uses, habitat etc of almost 200 species of Palms.
]
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-12-07. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Korthalsia+laciniosa>

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